Once Upon a One-Shot
by captainohcaptain12
Summary: UPDATE: Chapter 3 - Post 4x16 - Poor Unfortunate Soul - So what exactly happened after Killian admitted Emma was his happy ending? A collection of one shots involving Captain Swan, the Charming family, Operation Cobra, CaptainCharming, etc.
1. Perms and Waxed Mustaches

AN: I have all these ideas for one-shots in my head, so I wanted to put them in once place. :) They'll be CaptainSwan, CaptainCharming-daddy-Charming-feels, all around Charming family moments, some fluff, some angst. I don't know. Whatever.

Feel free to send me prompts to get those creative juices flowing if there is something you'd like to see.

This particular one has been done a few times but my niece had asked me (who is eight) what Killian would think of his cartoon counter part, so this just had to happen. Fluff this time around!

Unedited seriously since I just wrote this, I'll come back and fix any ridiculousness.

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"Kid, don't forget the —"

"The cheddar… I know, mom. I know." Henry's voice called back from the kitchen, long and drawn out with only the angst a young teenage boy could muster. The loft was crackling with a warmth from the several space heaters placed strategically throughout, producing a hazy warmth that enveloped the entire living room. Snuggled up into the corner of the couch, her legs were tucked nearly underneath her. Her toes, however, were very much tucked underneath a certain pirate who had the warmest derriere she'd ever had the pleasure of knowing. A worn quilt draped over the two of them, hiding her game of footsie from her parents who sat cuddled into each other on the love seat across from them.

David sat fiddling with the remote of the DVD player, increasingly frustrated that the surround sound wasn't turning on as though it should while Mary Margaret looked on with a knowing smile.

"Need some assistance, mate?" Killian shot towards the prince, a bemused look upon his face. Emma nudged him playfully with her foot underneath the quilt and he let out a quick bark of laughter.

"I got it, _mate_." Overly annunciated as usual, David shot a dirty look towards Killian - who looked as he was about to retort before Henry strode back into the room with two large bowls. The tantalizing scent of popcorn filled the space and her mouth instantly began to salivate.

"I'll get it gramps. You have to click this button and this button at the same time…and pronto!" Henry exclaimed with a triumphant smile as the TV suddenly blared the Disney theme. Henry shot a wicked smile towards Emma as he handed her the bowl of cheddar popcorn before settling onto the rug in front of her. He leaned up against the couch and tilted his head back so he was looking at her upside down, his large smile looking like a deep frown.

"Finally Killian can learn all about what a perm is, huh Mom?"

"I know all about these perms you speak of lad, thank you very much. I can assure you I've never had such a thing in all of my years of pirating." Emma swallowed back her laugh as she watched her pirate huff indignantly towards her son and towards her father who was currently being slapped playfully by her mother.

"I just don't know how you've been here for thirty years and never ever have you watched Peter Pan. It's a classic!"

"Well, I was in a coma for a majority of the years so I think that counts as an excuse."

"Did you ever have dreads like Captain Jack Sparrow?" Henry suddenly interrupted from the floor, sending a very pointed look towards Killian as though was going to judge him severely upon his answer. Killian shot a confused look towards her (she merely shrugged in response) before he gazed back down towards her son.

"Dreads, my boy?"

"Yeah, you know…like ropes. Dreads. I don't know - he had beads in them!"

"I've never crossed paths with this Captain Sparrow, but if this Captain had beads in his hair I can assume he wasn't a very formidable pirate."

"Didn't you tell me once you had a pony-tail?" The words left her mouth before she could think about what she was saying and the faces of everyone in the room snapped towards her, before swiveling towards Killian. Killian shot a horrified and betrayed glance towards her, sputtering on his words as he struggled to form a sentence. Blinking her eyes slowly, Emma craned her neck to look towards the television screen which was now playing the opening credits - steadily trying to ignore the heated and piercing gaze that had settled on her.

"That was three hundred years ago, Swan! I was in the Royal Navy, it was nearly a requirement for being sea worthy in those days." His words were hoarse and rushed, his body squirming uncomfortably.

"A pony-tail, pirate? Wonders never cease with you."

"The movie is starting guys, quiet!" Emma shot an apologetic look at Killian who was still eyeing her with a sense of betrayal before shifting her eyes back towards the screen. He sighed heavily as he too turned his gaze towards the television.

Reaching into the bowl of neglected unpopped kernels that clung to the buttery mess at the bottom the bowl, Emma dipped a finger into the saltiness to pluck out one of the last pieces of popcorn. The movie was nearing the end and a cacophony of soft snoring was coming from the love seat where her parents had drifted off to sleep, huddled close in to one another. Henry lay sprawled on the rug, one of his arms outstretched towards his own popcorn bowl with a napkin still tucked away in his fist. His other arm lay tucked nearly into his chest, cradling his face and head where a dark lock of hair covered his eyes. He'd need a haircut soon, Emma thought abstractedly.

Killian had stayed ramrod straight the entire film with only an occasional muttering under his breath or an incredibly loud sigh huffed towards the screen before he'd clamp his mouth shut and clench his jaw in a brooding silence. As the ending credits began to play, Emma stifled a yawn as she placed the bowl on the floor. She scooted towards him and shifted her body as to lay her head upon her spot she'd formed on his chest, near his collarbone. The steady thump of his chest and the warmth of the loft lulled her eyes close and she let out a content sigh.

"So what did you think, pirate?" She breathed out in another sigh, not bothering to open her eyes. His body tensed and she could hear his teeth grind together. Snapping open her eyes, she lifted her head off his chest to take a good look at him. His fist was white knuckled and clenched at his side and his face had gone pale, his stubble a stark contrast against the pallor of his skin.

"What did I think? That moving picture film is a bloody abomination, Swan. We must right this injustice!" His accent popped her name a bit more forcefully than normal and she once again had to stifle back a laugh.

"What do you want to do, go door to door to tell people how wrong a film made like sixty years ago got it all wrong? Send out a flyers?"

"Anything, Swan, anything to fix the depravity this film has inflicted upon my name. They got it all wrong. He was afraid of a _clock_, love…a clock." His sapphire eyes swirled with depths of emotions, pleading with her to understand as his plump lip pouted outwards. Sucking in a quick breath of air, Emma leaned her against his shoulder and smiled once more into his linen shirt and running her fingers through the dark tufts of hair that escaped out the top.

"You ain't seen nothing yet, buddy. Wait until you see the live action one."

"Wait, there's more than one of these bloody films?"

"You have no idea." She finished with a small laugh lingering on her words, nestling her face deeper into the crook of his arm as her eyes drifted off once more - his ranting words lulling her into a peaceful slumber.


	2. NyQuil

A ray of sun streamed in through the open window peaking out from behind the flapping curtain and basked the room in a warm haze. Stretching her legs and letting out a soft moan of pleasure from the release of tension, Emma arched her toes upwards into the quilt that lay draped over her naked form. Blinking her eyes open, Emma turned onto her side and hoisted her head upon her arm to wake up her pirate with an especially good morning.

Except he was very much awake.

Awake and looking absolutely miserable. His normally crystal sea blue eyes blinked glassily behind heavy lidded eyes, purple smudges marring underneath. A sheen of sweat coated his forehead matting his dark hair in clumps. The quilt on his side was tugged up underneath his chin and his teeth chattered a rhythmic cadence. Shifting her weight once more, Emma leaned her back against the headboard and shot Killian a concerned look as the corners up his mouth upturned into a tight smile.

"Good morning, love, it's going to be a beautiful day it seems."

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Of course, darling, never better."

If it wasn't for the fact that he an intense shudder that sent his head back against the headboard in that exact moment, Emma maybe would've let it pass. She lifted the back of her hand to his forehead and winced at the heat radiating from him.

"Well, you definitely don't feel okay. You have a fever."

"It's nothing. I can assure you I've had much more dire illnesses than this one, Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes as she lifted herself out of the bed with a dramatic sigh. Damn stubborn pirate. Shuffling towards the bathroom, she called back over her shoulder.

"What's the matter? Sore throat, upset stomach, what are we dealing with here?"

"I said it was nothing I can't handle." His voice was tight and hoarse, his accent abnormally clipped with the popping of each word. Grabbing a pair of sweats from the floor and stepping gracefully into them, she began to gather her hair from the nape of her neck into a low pony-tail. She shot him another eye roll.

"So sore throat then?"

"Just a bit of a scratchy throat, that's all…and some aches. One of the dwarves could rough me up with more aches than this, however, so it's nothing. As I said."

"I'll run to the pharmacy and grab you some cold medicine and some soup from downstairs on the way back up. You'll feel much better once you've had some of Granny's chicken soup." He had shifted his weight so he was leaning completely against the headboard now, his head tucked forwards onto his chest and his eyes fluttered close. His good hand clutched the quilt tightly around himself and he once again suppressed a shiver. Shrugging into a t-shirt and jacket, Emma sat herself on the corner of the bed and then she tugged on her shoes. She'd never had the chance to care for someone when they were sick being denied the chance from any of her very short relationships throughout her adult life and there was something undeniable endearing and adorable about how pitiful Killian looked. Which of course she'd never tell him that, but all the same she had never been in such a stable relationship where there was that level of comfort. Smiling towards him as she stood up, she cupped her hand around his chin and placed a feather light kiss upon his temple.

"Be right back."

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The pharmacy had taken longer than she had thought with apparently everyone in Storybrooke there that morning. The line to the register was wrapped to the back of the store and the shelves nearly picked clean from Nyquil and Tylenol. She had managed to grab the last dented dusty bottle right before a quite disgruntled looking Grumpy who had then sent ranting tirade her way before she had nearly ran to the counter. She had walked briskly back to Granny's, ordering herself a grilled cheese and Killian a large pint of soup. The diner was nearly deserted aside from a red nosed Ruby and the line cook who seemed to be moving monumentally slow today.

Brown sack in tow, Emma began to climb the stairs towards Killian's room. She'd hoped that he had gotten some rest while she was gone for the few hours but as she turned the key and nudged open the door, she realized that was a silly thing to think. His body was curled up tightly underneath the mound of blankets, the only thing showing were dark tufts of hair and a pair of dazed eyes peaking out.

"Oh thank the gods, you're back Swan."

"What was that about you having nothing again?" She couldn't help the playful lilt to her tone as she crossed to the nightstand, pulling out the bottle of medicine as she walked.

"It's bad form to mock a man while he's perishing, love. Bad form."

"You aren't dying, Killian. You have a cold. It's common in this world, I mean didn't you have them back in fairy tale land?" She rolled her eyes at his exasperated look he shot her way and began to measure out the acidic green liquid, resisting the urge to gag at the smell. Killian was watching her with a perplexed gaze as he once again used his good hand to tighten the covers around his torso.

"A cold? What a creative name." His voice whispered.

"Here - drink this. It'll make you feel better."

"I should hope this isn't like that _jello_ you forced upon me last time." He hesitated as he released his grip upon the quilt to reach for the small cup, sending her a distrustful pointed look.

"Nope. Not jello…medicine. You drink it, you sleep, you wake up, you feel better. Promise." Smiling encouragingly, Emma once again sat on the side of the bed allowing her hand to come up to rest on the back of his neck and began to massage his tense shoulder. He took the cup, scooted himself into a more vertical position, and brought the cup to his lips before downing the medicine as though it were a shot of rum. His face contorted into a tight grimace as he began to sputter and gag.

"Bloody hell, woman, are you trying to murder me?"

"Oh stop. It's not that bad, you're Captain Hook for Christ's sake - a little bit of Nyquil isn't going to kill you."

He moaned dramatically and once again buried his head onto the pillow, wrapping himself tightly within the covers mumbling a string of curses incoherently under his breath. Giving once last kiss to his cheek, Emma stood up from the bed and crossed over to her grilled cheese. Clutching the sandwich in her hand she meandered over to the open window and basked in the warmth of the sunlight, smiling as she took a large bite out of the cheesy goodness.

"Bad form, indeed." She heard from underneath the covers and she couldn't help the smile that broke on her face. _A swashbuckling, villainous pirate for centuries and taken down by a simple cold -_ if only Disney could've gotten this story, she thought with a chuckle and another bite of her sandwich.


	3. It's You

A/N: I just have a lot of feelings about this. Too many feelings - they had to go somewhere so…without any further introduction…

Post - 4x16 Poor Unfortunate Soul.

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"Wait…if you're afraid of loosing your happy ending, that means you found it."

Her breath hitched and the silence of the cabin deafened her as she stared into his piercing gaze. The question lingered on her tongue for the briefest of pauses before she hoarsely whispered her question.

"What is it?"

She dared not blink. Her lips parted as she watched his face flash the briefest insecurity before a mask of pure and unlimited sincerity slipped back into place.

"Don't you know, Emma? It's you." He quickly inhaled as though he was surprised by his own truthfulness and he quickly blinked, gauging her reaction, subconsciously leaning towards her in case she decided to run.

_It's you. _

Her lips once again parted into a gasp struggling to understand if she had heard correctly. Emma Swan, the lost girl, was his happy ending. She waited for the fear - the blinding and crushing fear that usually enveloped her soul at times like this - but it never came. A prickly scratching feeling forced itself into her throat, lodging deep behind her tongue and down into her chest. A familiar warmth welled into her eyes and Emma forced her lids further open, refusing to let the tears fall. Taking a slow step towards him, she watched his brow wrinkle and eyes darken with an insecure confusion. She inhaled a deep breath - the smell of salty sea and leather with a hint of sweet rum invaded her nostrils and she closed her eyes from the warmth of him. As her eyes drifted close, she leaned into slowly touch her lips to his. His touch was tentative at first - hesitant and light - and as Emma stepped further into his embrace, she felt a wetness to her cheeks.

_It's you. It's you. It's you. _

She could feel her heart pounding against her sternum, the steady thump roaring through her ear drums. Killian's breath hitched in his chest, a deep throaty moan humming out of him as his ringed fingers ran through her hair. The kiss deepened and suddenly she didn't know where her own body ended and his began.

She wouldn't have minded if the moment had lasted forever, and yet…

With a deep sigh, he broke off the kiss and rested his forehead against her own. His raven locks still glistened with dampness and as Emma opened her eyes to look up into his eyes, she realized his own eyes were still tightly clenched and the once perfectly applied kohl had began to run in dark smudges. The dark stubble that graced his strong chin had become longer than he normally kept it and there was a clammy sheen across his handsome features. His eyes clenched once more and then he pulled away, opening his eyes and settling his gaze upon her.

It was then that she realized _he_ was the one who was pulling away.

"Killian, I…I just need—"

"Time?" His soft reply was barely above a hoarse whisper - but it was a douse of cold water on the passion that was crackling through the small cabin. Running his hand through his hair, he shrugged a bit and turned towards the open door her parents had just walked out.

_It's you. It's you. It's you. _

She had a reply ready.

It was there on the tip of her tongue - she'd give just enough. She always gave _just enough_.

As she watched his shoulders slump, he turned around and gave her a small smile that didn't meet his eyes. The familiar mirth and twinkle that often glistened like sapphires in his eyes were absent and yet all Emma could see was…

"I love you."

It was out of her mouth before her brain could register what she had said and suddenly her feet found themselves striding towards him, the clack of her boots against the hardwood drowning out the thumping in her chest. She reached a trembling hand towards his chin, the stubble bristling against her fingertips.

His jaw had opened a bit, lips parted. A deep rattling huffed from his chest as his eyes averted her own and they settled upon the fireplace behind her.

"Swan, please don't." His voice cracked on his plea. A confidence swelled up inside of her, puffing out her chest - and her fingers caressed his neck running to the nape of his neck.

"Killian…look at me. Please?"

His jaw clenched tightly and she could feel a slight tremor wrack his frame as he nodded slightly towards her.

_It's you._

His eyes turned down to her and the he clenched his eyes shut once more as a single tear rolled down his scarred cheek. Leaning forwards on the tips of her toes, Emma kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Don't you know? It's you, too."

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**Review**?


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